Press Control
by full-of-wrackspurts
Summary: Being friends with Harry brings its own annoyances. One of these is the press. These drabbles show how Harry's friends protect him from the worst of it. Hogwarts era, may change later.
1. The Trolls are Only the Start

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and will not see a single penny from writing this fic. **

**A/N Thanks to the guest who left a review on my first attempt at posting this. Hopefully the problems are now fixed and I now have an actual disclaimer. That's what happens when you don't post for a while, you forget how the whole thing works. Now on with the story. **

**1st year. A Week After the Troll Incident. **

**Gryffindor Common Room. **

**Hermione, George and Fred. **

"Was this you?" Hermione charged towards the twins, her nervousness at challenging the pranksters hidden by her righteous indignation. "Are you behind this?" Hermione demanded, a letter clutched in her fist, even as she maintained direct eye contact with the bemused and amused twins.

"We seem to have-"

"an enraged witch on our hands-"

"Whatever will we do-"

"Perhaps a calming draught?"

"A cheering charm?"

"Or a great big hug to thank her for being friends with our most annoying brother."

The twins wrapped their gangly limbs around Hermione preventing the enraged witch from extracting her arms and punching them or hexing them.

"You are so lucky I can't get to my wand right now." Hermione hissed.

"What letters are you talking about?" Fred had wrenched the bunch from her hand.

George and Fred released Hermione from their hug/hold and glanced over the letters.

"While we would love to claim credit for this marvellous craftsmanship this was not created by our fine hands."

"If we're not mistaken, this seem genuine."

"I really hoped you'd say it was you," Hermione sighed. "This is the fifth one this week."

"It's a good offer though, I could see why you'd be tempted." .

"You really think I'd betray Harry just for the sake of a book."

"You are a paragon of good, but even good people get tempted. Especially when it's access to the first edition of Hogwarts a History in exchange for an interview about the

troll."

"It's nonsense anyway. I already asked Madam Pince and the only way to get access to it is to get signed permission from the minister and even he's not going to sign that

request just to get information on Harry."

"Welcome to the wizarding world, bribery and favouritism are the name of game. If you reply, they'd probably be able to get the book to you."

"The Minster wouldn't allow that. The letters really weren't you?"

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"If you do need-"

"to create a plan-"

"to get them off your back-"

"we are the experts-"

"Just say the word, and we'll give them a taste of the Weasley medicine."

The little bushy haired girl who up until that point had only had friends who had been fictional, almost teared up at the automatic show of loyalty, just because she was friends with their brother.


	2. Tempted by Quidditch and Galleons

**A Random Day in 3rd year. **

**Gryffindor Common Room. **

**Ron and Hermione. **

"I got another one today" Ron said flopping down beside Hermione on their favourite couch in the common room.

"Another what?" Hermione murmured, still mostly engrossed in the 12th law of arithmancy.

"You know, those letters," Ron said making sure to keep his voice low, "The ones we don't tell Harry about."

"Oh." Hermione said taking her eyes from the book as she realised what Ron was talking about.

"A good one?"

"Too good."

"Better than a Chudley Canons season ticket? You said nothing could top that."

Ron ignored her question, looking into the distance. "Their offers are getting harder to ignore."

"What did they offer this time?"

"200 galleons for every quote I give them. They showed me exactly how that 200 galleons could help mum and Dad. All I need to do is to give them a quote every month or so. I could tell them Harry called Malfoy a slug and I would get 200 galleons."

"You wouldn't." Hermione said forcefully.

"200 galleons is a lot of money for me. It would give my parents breathing space so my dad doesn't have to work so hard. So that my mum doesn't always look tired. It would mean Ginny would have new school books and not get teased like I did for my old ratty ones. It's not like the stories have to be true."

"Are you seriously considering this?"

"I have to, don't I? When that money could do so much for my family?"

"This is making you miserable."

"I don't want to sell him out, but you don't understand how hard it is to have nothing that's your own, or to be looked down at because all your clothes are torn or stained or too short. I can't just give that up without thinking about it."

"Is it better to have anything you want or is it better to be surrounded by people who love you and have nothing?"


	3. Quidditch Queries

**Quidditch World Cup. **

**Hermione, Alicia, Angelina, Fred and George.**

"The lovely Hermione, whatever can we do for you" The twins asked as Hermione joined their group which included Angelina and Alicia who they'd run into on the campsite.

"I just needed to ask you something that's been bothering me. Oliver got on to Puddlemere really quickly. It was practically as soon as he left Hogwarts and since he trained Harry, do you think- ?"

The quidditch team started shaking their heads before Hermione could finish the question.

"Harry was his secret weapon."

"And Oliver took training him seriously."

"Plus it would have gone against his ethics to use Harry's fame as a bargaining tool."

"He ranted for months when Tiberius Scadgemole got Beater after only a season because his brother bought the team." Alicia backed up George's point.

"Don't forget the speech." Angelina added.

"We swore to keep that secret. No outsiders."

"Fred, I don't think Hermione Granger can really be considered an outsider as far as Harry is concerned."

"Fair point. Proceed."

"Oliver made Harry's privacy a condition of being on the team. As soon as he knew Harry was on the team he got us together and gave us a speech."

"It was almost better than the pre-match speech."

"Let me see if we can recreate it." Hermione tried to say it wasn't needed but there were a few empty firewhisky bottles lying about and she decided it wasn't worth the hassle. After a few squabbles and the twins request for Alicia and Angelina to join them when they couldn't remember the last part, they had managed to create a performance for Hermione.

"We are Gryffindors and as lions the Quidditch team is our pride." Oliver (played by Angelina) began chest out, proclaiming his pride in his team. "We protect our own, whatever happens in the classroom or in the corridors or in the outside world, we are a team and we will show that in everything we do. I'm telling you this because Harry Potter is our new seeker."

Oliver ignored the surprised looks on the rest of the team, (George, Fred and Alicia playing their younger selves with aplomb.) "He might only be a first year but he is going to be our team's greatest asset. He will also be our team's greatest weakness. He is famous and because of that, we will be getting more scrutiny than ever before, possibly even press attention. The press will ask you to tell them what he wears, how he talks, what his favourite subject is, what girl or boy he likes. It might seem insignificant if you tell them but it matters." Angelina then dropped her tone a little becoming more serious.

"Every little bit of information that you let out reduces his trust in us, reduces cohesion and I will not let that affect this team. I don't care what they offer you, when you're on this team, my team, if I hear you have done anything to hurt Harry, even indirectly, you are out. That boy is made to fly and anyone who prevents that will have me to talk to." Angelina, replicated their past captain's sincerity perfectly leading to Fred and George throwing themselves down to the floor so they could kiss her feet and proclaim, "Bravo, bravo."

"Get up you idiots," she smiled before switching her focus to Hermione. "Oliver took Harry's privacy seriously, I would say it was his second biggest concern after winning the cup."

"But what about when he left Hogwarts, he didn't need to have the same loyalty. What if he gave some information away to be considered?"

"If he did do something like that, which is unlikely, he would have asked Harry's permission first. and knowing Harry, he would have let him."

"Talking of our Star Seeker, I think he's heading this way."

"Hermione, Fred, George. We're heading to the stadium."


	4. Unauthorised Photographers

**Fourth Year.**

**Somewhere in Hogwarts.**

**Ron, Dennis and Colin Creevey.**

"Hey Creeveys! Colin! Dennis! Slow down! I need to talk to you." Ron shouted after the skinny first and third years.

The Creeveys bravely stopped their flee down the corridor and turned to face their pursuer, desperately trying to hide the photos of Harry that were in their hands. Luckily for them, Ron ignored that as he had bigger things to talk to them about.

"I like you but you've got to tone down the hero worship."

"It's not -." Dennis attempted to explain but Ron cut him off.

"It bugs the hell out of Harry and if you keep doing it he will eventually hex you. Especially if you keep sending them to the Witch Weekly."

"It's not , that's not me but , they found the photos and …" Colin stammered.

"I don't care who did it, the pictures came from your camera. I don't know why but Harry kind of likes you so I'm giving you a warning. Don't sell them to the press. Don't bug him for an autograph. Don't let anyone steal the pictures from you or your brother."

"I didn't mean to." Colin crumpled. It was an accident, he'd left the photos in an abandoned classroom when he went to lunch. When he got back to the room, they'd disappeared.

"They still ended up in the press. Like I said, for some reason Harry kind of likes you but you need to stop asking him for photos and autographs every day. Try it once a month at most and ask before you take the photos. I'll give you another piece of advice, if you really want to get good pictures of him, take them when he's part of a group so the focus isn't on him. He doesn't like or want the attention."

"They're for us. I don't want to sell them."

"I know but this stuff matters. The whole world wants something from him. Gryffindor is meant to be his family and he can't have that if part of it is threatening his privacy. Especially with Skeeter flying about."

"She's scary." Dennis said, already having an encounter with the perfectly manicured blonde.

"And you're right to keep away from her. One other thing, never give any photos to the Prophet again or I will stick the twins on you."


	5. The Aftermath of Fake Love Triangles

**4th Year. **

**After the Love Triangle Article. **

**Hogwarts Abandoned Classroom. **

**Ron and Hermione. **

"Not again. I won't let them do this to you again. I'll storm into their offices and hex them on the spot." Ron paced in circles at the front of the abandoned classroom he and Hermione were currently standing in,

"And say what? It's not like they didn't warn us what would happen. Especially after that bitch's article calling me a scarlet woman."

"Mum didn't mean it, she's just not used to how the press twist things."

"She should know I wouldn't hurt Harry like that."

"You're letting them get into your head."

"Can you blame me? This hurts." Hermione gritted her teeth, trying to move her blistered fingers,

"This isn't right Hermione, you won't be able to write for a week and we have tests in a few days."

"The one good thing about this is I get to test my theories on healing potions with Madam Pomfrey. The new potion should have these healed by the time they start."

"We should talk to Dumbledore. To get him to set up the wards Harry has, the ones that block those letters."

"How did that go the last time you asked?"

Ron shrugged off the memory of that embarrassing encounter.

"We'll tag team him, you can bamboozle him with logic. He'll listen to you."

"I told you what he said the first time I tried."

"Yeah that Harry is protected by wards tied into his mum's ward and the blood magic. If you ask me that sounds like bullshit."

"He can't have wards blocking mail from newspapers because then he'd be accused of censorship."

"He's doing a crap job of protecting his students though. We should tell Harry. He can say something and get them off your back."

There was a tense silence for a moment. "We can't. You've seen how vicious Skeeter is. If he gives one interview, they'll see it as him accepting his role as a media personality and they will start digging into everything. Including Snuffles and the Dursleys. The longer we can keep him away from that the better."

"It's going to come at some point."

"But it will be when Harry wants it to and not before."


	6. A New Source

**6th year. After a Quidditch practice. Quidditch locker room**

"You didn't tell me about this part." Ginny said from her spot on one of the benches, taking advantage of the rare moment of brother and sister bonding time to address one of her concerns.

"What part?" Ron was leaning against the wall, the thud of him throwing and catching a quaffle creating a regular rhythm.

"The requests for information on Harry's life."

The smack of the quaffle landing in Ron's hands was the last sound for a while. "I'm not going to mess around. They suck."

"How can they do this? Play around with people's lives like this?" The usually unflappable Ginny was struggling to keep her temper.

"Because they're sick. The people who write those articles and send those letters are the lowest of the low. What did they offer you?"

"They said if I sent them pictures of me and Harry kissing, they'd ensure I was first on the list for try-outs with the Harpies once I graduated. If the pictures were 'more detailed.'" she said disgustedly, "they'd pay for a mind healer to talk to me about my time in the Chamber of Secrets."

"Whatever you do, don't answer them."

"I'm not an idiot, I know that will just encourage them. I'll become a "source inside Hogwarts" and if they did supply a mind healer, I know every sordid little detail would be in the Prophet next day. But ..." Ginny hesitated in her rant.

"I've thought it too."

"It would really help. it's not like we have a lot of money and the Weasley name isn't exactly going to bring us fame and fortune." Ginny let out guiltily.

"I got as far as writing a reply once." Ron said guiltily. "It was second year, when everyone thought Harry was the heir. They offered me 1000 galleons, no catches, no tricks, if I sent them a picture of him looking stressed. Mum and Dad were struggling more than usual for money, since so many of us were at Hogwarts at once."

"I remember."

"1000 galleons would have gone a long way. I figured that Harry wouldn't mind when he knew why he did it."

"Why didn't you send it?"

"Why do you think?"

"Harry said something sweet, didn't he?"

"He said he was glad I was his first friend and he was really happy I was there to distract him from the craziness. After that I couldn't betray him. After all there are more important things than money."

"The Weasley mantra. Used when you're eating cabbage for the third day in the row or your new pair of trousers have four mysterious stains because the twins had them before you."

"Don't feel guilty for thinking about accepting the offers. The people who write these things are really good at their jobs. They pick out your weak points and exploit them until you give in. You just have to be stronger than them."

"How long have you been getting these letters?"

"Pretty much since I sat in the same compartment as him to Hogwarts."

"And he doesn't know?"

"Not that we've noticed."

"He'd get them to stop."

"But what would he give up in return? He's got enough on his plate."


	7. Professional Advice

**6th Year. **

**Owlery. **

**Hermione and Blaise. **

"You're not protecting him. He's going to leave Hogwarts eventually. When he does those letters are going to start heading his way too. He needs to know how to deal with them."

"What do you know about it, Zabini?" Hermione asked even as she was pulling out her wand.

"Put your wand away Granger. My mother is in the Prophet every other month, lauded for her donations to charity. At the same time, I have a new stepfather every month. Of course I know how to manage the media."

"How do I know this isn't a plot to discredit Harry?" Hermione's grip on her wand tightened. Zabini's wand may not have been out but it didn't mean he didn't have tricks up his sleeve.

"I hate Gryffindors. Just tell Potter I'm an expert if he ever needs one."

Zabini turned leaving his back unprotected, which was the only reason Hermioen felt safe enough to ask him a question.

"Zabini. Can we ever stop them?"

"You don't stop it, not when you're as famous as Potter, you just leverage enough power that you control the questions being asked. By the way Granger, leverage does not mean kidnapping and imprisoning an insect, no matter how sore your fingers were. When it gets worse, and it will, get him to contact me."

"What's in it for you?"

"There's a war on Granger, what do you think is in it for me?"


End file.
